


E Pluribus Unum

by gliese581



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, On Hold
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-04-05
Updated: 2012-04-05
Packaged: 2017-11-03 02:49:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/376266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gliese581/pseuds/gliese581
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first 100 days of the Cook White House.</p>
            </blockquote>





	E Pluribus Unum

Inauguration day was when it finally started hitting home that everything was about to change forever. The Capitol building glimmered as the sun slowly rose in the horizon, and he couldn't help but stop to take everything in. A warm hand cupped the back his neck, breaking him from his trance.

Archie looked to his side at Cook, and felt his heart thud inside his chest. Cook was silhouetted against the sun, turning his hair a light auburn, and Archie could make out the smile on Cook's face. "It's starting to catch up to you, too, huh? That we actually made it."

Before he could do anything more than nod, there was a flurry of motion behind them and Monty came up to them.

"Sorry guys, but the Secret Service wants to brief you two inside," Monty looked like he hadn't slept at all for a week, not that anyone could blame him – they were all running on fumes.

There was a group of agents waiting for them when they stepped into an office inside the Capital. One of them, Archie wanted to say he was the head of the Presidential Protective Division, stepped forward and shook Cook's hand. There was a brief exchange of congratulations before they moved to sit down around a conference table.

"I'm sorry we called you in so early, Mr. President-Elect, but we needed to brief you and your husband on your new security detail." Archie let out a breath he didn't know he was holding when there wasn't even a pause between 'your' and 'husband'.

Archie accepted one of the document folders the Special Agent in Charge slid across the polished mahogany surface. A red border and _TOP SECRET – SCI_ were printed across the entire cover.

"First thing's first, if you could please open the cover," Archie did, and found a list of random words that made Archie's head hurt just looking at them. "Those words at the top are codenames or code-phrases that you should memorize, but the most important ones right now are the first two. They are your and your principal agent's codenames."

His codename was apparently _BRUISER_ and his Secret Service agent's codename was _GIBSON_. When Archie looked over, Cook's code-words were _BARKEEP_ and _RANGER_. What kind of codenames were those? Bruiser made him sound unhinged and barkeep was hardly any better to describe the _President_. 

"We won't be changing agents for you, Mr. President-Elect - Special Agent Andrew Skib is now _RANGER_." They'd known Andy since just before the Convention, and he was glad Andy was staying on as Cook's agent. Cook could be a stubborn mule, but he actually listened to Andy once in a while. "And as for _GIBSON_ , that would be Special Agent Neal Tiemann."

There was a polite cough and Archie looked to find an agent standing up from the table. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Cook."

~~~{ }~~~

Everything came into focus as he stood there on the same steps as past Presidents, holding up a bible for Cook as he took the oath of office.

There was a pause after the end of the oath as Hail to the Chief rose up from the army band, before the Chief Justice shook Cook’s hand and congratulated him. Archie moved to give Cook a quick hug, but Cook had other ideas and pulled him into a crushing bear hug.

Cook reluctantly let him go as the 21-gun salute came to a close and went up to the podium for his first address as President. Cook was starting to speak as Archie and the representative from St. John’s Lodge gently transferred the fragile bible back into its case. Beth took Archie’s hand when he got back to their seats, and didn’t let go through the speech.

Just as quickly as it began, the speech ended and Cook took Archie’s free hand for the first time as President and First Husband. There was a moment when Archie promptly forgot what he was supposed to do, but it all came back to him when Cook led him towards the podium for a final wave towards the cheering crowd, together with Gavin, the new VP, and his wife. This time, though, the Secret Service agents stationed at the periphery followed them a lot closer.

They stood there for a couple more minutes, before Devin discretely motioned that they needed to move on. With a final wave, they let the Secret Service usher them back into the Capitol. Except for Andy and Special Agent Tiemann, the agents spread out in a loose circle when they stopped inside the building, and Archie saw Monty coming towards them with another agent.

“Congratulations, Mr. President.” Cook’s face split into a smile at Monty’s grin. “But we can talk later, the luncheon is about to start and you don't want to make Congress wait.”

The luncheon was a test in faking it, as far as Archie was concerned. It was especially hard to keep from twitching when he had to smile and shake hands with the same Senator who, just months before, had called him a “gold-digging twink” and called Cook a “sugar daddy” with a straight face on national television. But Archie grudgingly gave Neal points when he discreetly directed Archie along the waiting line of Representatives and Senators.

Neal and Andy melted back into the periphery when Archie and Cook finally got to the head table, but they didn’t seem to relax one bit.

The event wasn’t as bad after the food began arriving to the tables, especially when Carrie, Gavin’s wife, started making jokes about the assembled members of Congress. Archie almost snorted champagne up his nose when Carrie aptly compared a Representative from Oklahoma’s toupee with a barnyard animal.

Neither Neal nor Andy, or any of the Secret Service agents if he was being honest, moved at all during the luncheon. They stood like well-dressed statues around the table and kept watch as everyone around them wined and dined. Archie suddenly didn’t feel hungry, anymore.

“Something wrong?” Carrie asked when Archie poked at the last bit of sponge cake on his plate.

Before Archie could reply, the President pro tempore of the Senate stood up from his seat and raised his glass in a toast. Archie had to slap a smile back on his face and focus his attention on the Senator.

The short speech congratulating them was apparently a signal that the event was coming to a close, because as Cook got up to shake the Senator’s hand, Andy moved closer and Neal was behind Archie in an instant.

Monty descended on them the second they walked out the door. “Apparently we’re running late so we'll start the parade, soon. They have the limo waiting for you right outside.”

~~~{ }~~~

The streets were lined with the thickest crowds Archie had ever seen in his life, but they all looked excited instead of threatening. He couldn't hear from inside the limo, but he could see lips moving to form a chant of, _David and David_.

The vehicles in the motorcade gradually slowed to a stop and he saw agents exiting the Suburbans. Andy and Neal approached the armored doors on either side of the stationary limo and waited for the other agents to get to their places. They opened the door only after the security bubble looked like it was firmly in place.

The cheers were deafening when they got out into the icy January wind, and Archie could feel the excitement from the crowds. As the crowd chanted, he was unconsciously drawn towards Cook.

Neal was a constant presence behind him, even when Archie took Cook's hand. Even without looking, he knew Neal's eyes were scanning the area from behind his sunglasses, but that made Archie more concerned than relieved. It irked him to know that there were people out there he needed to be protected from.

The motorcade started up again and kept pace with them as they made their way down Pennsylvania Avanue - towards the _White House_. That thought was enough to distract him from whatever was on his mind and let him enjoy the moment.

~~~{ }~~~

Devin waved him over from the far side of the room, and Archie discreetly made his way towards Cook's personal aide. What would have usually been a quick walk was, instead, a much longer one because he was approached by people wanting to wish him congratulations almost every half-step.

"The band is ready and we're gonna go ahead and introduce you now. You ready?" Archie nodded and accepted the mic from Devin. "Good luck, Archie."

There was just enough time for a fortifying breath before the band finished their current song and the announcer cleared his throat. "Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the First Husband of the United States of America, David Archuleta-Cook." Showtime.

Cook looked up in surprise at the announcement and they locked eyes. He gave Cook a smile back, before bringing the mic to his mouth. "Thank you all so much for attending this special ball supporting not only the inauguration, but also Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure. And as special thanks, the band has graciously allowed me to sing something for all of you."

The first chords went up and Cook's eyes went a bit wide. "This is _Angels_."

He put his love and soul into the song as he sang his heart out. It was easy to lose himself in the song and let it flow through him - easier than he thought it would be, considering this was the first time he sang in public in a long while.

The whole room was silent when he finished, and he was worried he'd made a mistake, but someone started to clap. Pretty soon, the whole room began to clap and whoop, including Cook, who made his way towards him.

Cook wrapped him in a tight embrace when he got near and whispered a "thank you, Archie" into his ear.


End file.
